Sugar content of 50 popular breakfast cereals
Like bar soap, diamonds, and fabric softener, breakfast cereal is on the list of products that have experienced slumping sales thanks to the changing shopping habits of younger generations. Although food companies had made some effort to improve cereals' nutritional appeal in recent years, they've since done a 180: declining marketability and customer dissatisfaction have prompted a return to stereotypically sugar-packed breakfast cereal.
Even cereals that promote themselves as being a part of a healthy breakfast can be made up of more than 50% sugar by weight. And when you eat a massive amount of sugar the first thing in the day, it can spike your blood sugar and signal to your brain throughout the day that you need more sugar, leading to dips in energy levels and concentration—not exactly what you want to get from the most important meal of the day. A fluctuation in blood sugar levels can also lead to weight gain and obesity over a long period of time. Because sugary cereals are often marketed to children, this can facilitate an unhealthy lifestyle during key developmental years.
Nutritionists recommend that consumers avoid cereals with more than 10 grams of sugar per serving and choose one with as much fiber as possible to stick with a healthy lifestyle. Research has shown that a diet with reduced sugar and increased fiber can lead to weight loss and an improved insulin function.
Using April 2018 data from the USDA, Stacker compiled a guide to the sugar content of 50 popular breakfast cereals, ranked by grams of sugar per 100 grams of cereal. Overall, 107 different products were considered—read on to find out which ones are "cereal" offenders.
You may also like: What the average American eats in a year
#50. Honey Bunches Of Oats with Cinnamon Bunches
- Per 100 grams: 400 cal, 20.4 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.051 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Honey Bunches of Oats with Cinnamon Bunches is a less sugary alternative than a number of the cereal's other varieties, with just six grams of sugar and real cinnamon baked directly in the cereal that adds spice to breakfast without the sugar high. The cereal also is advertised as "heart healthy," thanks to its exclusion of trans fat and cholesterol. But those looking to steer clear of sugar should note the cereal's ingredients, which include sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, and malted corn and barley syrup.
#49. Honey Bunches Of Oats, with vanilla bunches
- Per 100 grams: 394 cal, 20.7 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.053 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Post's Honey Bunches of Oats with Vanilla Bunches boasts 35 grams of whole grains and is made without high fructose corn syrup. However, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to the cereal's nutrition label, which like its other varieties includes a range of sweeteners like brown sugar, corn syrup, and honey (along with just plain sugar).
#48. Alpha-Bits
- Per 100 grams: 389 cal, 21.00 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.054 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Alpha-Bits was just one of the cereal products that Post revamped in the early 2000s, rolling out a new version of the popular letter-shaped cereal that was 75% whole grains and contained zero sugar. But the public reaction to the new and improved Alpha-Bits wasn't as positive as Post had hoped. With no sugar coating, the cereal pieces easily broke apart, and with more oat flour than before, the letters became chunky and misshapen. Eventually, the original recipe was reintroduced.
#47. Oat Blenders with honey
- Per 100 grams: 396 cal, 21.62 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.055 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Although Malt-O-Meal's Oat Blenders with honey cereal only contains 6 grams of sugar per each serving of 3/4 cup, it has four different sweeteners: sugar, corn syrup, molasses, and honey. However, a bowl of Oat Blenders isn't the worst: The cereal contains no trans fat, 11 grams of vitamins and minerals, and almost half of the daily recommended value of both iron and folic acid.
#46. Shredded Wheat, lightly frosted, spoon-size
- Per 100 grams: 352 cal, 22.30 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.063 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Post's classic Shredded Wheat cereal has an impressively minimal ingredient list: whole-grain wheat is the sole component. The lightly frosted variety is a sweeter take on the original, with 12 grams of sugar per serving. Although the box advertises the product as being naturally sweetened and having no high fructose corn syrup, sugar and brown sugar are the second and third ingredients.
#45. Honey Bunches Of Oats, with real strawberries
- Per 100 grams: 399 cal, 24 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.06 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Honey Bunches of Oats is a popular cereal choice, but the cornflake-oat combo packs a sugary punch—the version sold with real strawberries contains even more sugar than the original. While a serving size of 3/4 cup only contains 8 grams of sugar, the sources of sugar in the cereal's ingredient list mirror the roster of sweeteners featured in other Honey Bunches varieties. On the bright side, a bowlful also contains 10 grams of whole grains, plus nine vitamins and minerals.
#44. Great Grains, Raisin, Date & Pecans Whole Grain Cereal
- Per 100 grams: 378 cal, 24.1 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.064 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Post's Great Grains Raisins, Dates & Pecans Whole Grain Cereal markets itself as a "less processed" cereal with healthy fat-rich pecans, whole grain flakes and clusters, and raisins and dates packed with fiber. But despite its nutritious components, one bowlful of the cereal contains 13 grams of sugar by way of brown sugar, regular sugar, and corn syrup. Still, consumers can also count on a whopping 31 grams of whole grains per serving as well as 5 grams of natural fiber.
#43. Quaker 100% Natural Granola With Oats, Wheat, Honey, And Raisins
- Per 100 grams: 412 cal, 24.63 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.060 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
While granola like this Quaker offering can conjure up images of a healthy, wholesome lifestyle, its diet-friendly reputation is often undeserved. A half cup of store-bought granola on average contains 12 grams of sugar, with almost all of that being added sugar instead of the kind that can naturally be found in fruit.
#42. Quaker Oat Cinnamon Life
- Per 100 grams: 374 cal, 25.18 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.067 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Quaker's Cinnamon Life Cereal is a take on the original with the addition of cinnamon, but preserves the healthy whole grains Life Cereal is known for. One serving of Cinnamon Life contains 19 grams of whole grains, and 3 grams of protein. Sure, it has 8 grams of sugar, but a bowl will also get you 25% of your daily recommended intake of B-vitamins, zinc, riboflavin, and thiamin.
#41. Mother's Cinnamon Oat Crunch
- Per 100 grams: 382 cal, 25.37 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.066 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Mother's Cinnamon Oat Crunch boasts a high amount of whole grain oats, but customers should keep in mind that the cereal is sweetened with both honey and molasses—and one serving contains 15 grams of sugar. However, the cereal is free of cholesterol and contains 3 grams of soluble fiber, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.
#40. Great Grains Cranberry Almond Crunch
- Per 100 grams: 384 cal, 25.5 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.066 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
There's nothing like taking a bite of crunchy cereal first thing in the morning, and Post's Great Grains Cranberry Almond Crunch promises just that, in addition to being cholesterol-free. But while dried cranberries may sound healthy, they offer very little nutritional value, and the dried versions of the fruit almost always contain added sugar to counteract the tartness.
#39. Low Fat 100% Natural Granola With Raisins
- Per 100 grams: 388 cal, 25.65 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.066 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
When consuming Quaker's Low Fat 100% Natural Granola With Raisins, it's important to pay attention to the serving size—otherwise, you could eat too many raisins and end up spiking your blood sugar. While raisins are rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, many varieties contain added sugar in addition to the naturally occurring sugar found in unsweetened raisins. Even a small box of sugar-free raisins contains the same amount of carbohydrates you would get from eating two slices of bread.
#38. Natural Granola Apple Cranberry Almond
- Per 100 grams: 418 cal, 27.43 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.066 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Although it contains 13 grams of sugar per serving, Quaker's Apple Cranberry Almond variety of its Natural Granola line also has 25 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and a low sodium content. Just one bowl in the morning will give you 28 grams of whole grains and has no artificial flavors or colors. However, because a serving size of the cereal is only half of a cup, those enjoying it should keep an eye on portion control.
#37. Selects Blueberry Morning
- Per 100 grams: 395 cal, 29.2 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.074 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Selects Blueberry Morning is a cereal chock full of dried blueberries, corn flakes, crunchy clusters, and almonds, making it a popular breakfast favorite. While the cereal has a higher sugar content than some others at 16 grams, consumers have taken to the fact that it has zero grams of trans fat per serving—as well as 14 grams of whole grains and nine vitamins and minerals.
#36. Mother's Peanut Butter Bumpers Cereal
- Per 100 grams: 407 cal, 29.29 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.072 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Mother's is a brand of Quaker that is always 100% natural, with no additives, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, hydrogenated oils, or starches, plus honey and molasses are the only sweeteners used in its products. The crunchy corn cereal is also made with natural peanut butter that contains no added sugar. However, with the second ingredient in the cereal being molasses, a serving of Peanut Butter Bumpers has 16 grams of sugar.
#35. Honey Nut Scooters
- Per 100 grams: 387 cal, 29.97 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.077 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Though Honey Nut Scooters may be an imitation of Honey Nut Cheerios, Malt-O-Meal's variety contains about 10% more sugar—which might not come as a surprise given that three of its ingredients are sugar, honey, and brown sugar syrup. However, the cereal boasts a high dose of iron: just one serving will get you to 50% of your daily recommended intake.
#34. Honey Nut Toasty O's
- Per 100 grams: 388 cal, 30.17 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.078 grams / cal
- Brand: Mom's Best
In another spin on Honey Nut Cheerios, the Mom's Best Honey Nut Toasty O's also contains one more gram of sugar than the Cheerio variety at 10 grams. However, this version boasts real honey and 18 grams of whole grains per serving, as well as no artificial flavors and no hydrogenated oils.
#33. Honeycomb Cereal
- Per 100 grams: 394 cal, 31.51 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.08 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Post's Honeycomb Cereal has been a fan favorite for more than 30 years, with kids and adults alike chowing down on the crunchy, honeycomb-shaped corn and oat cereal. Despite the sweet-sounding name, Honeycomb falls below the average sugar content in cereals at 10 grams a serving. You can count on 19 grams of whole grains in that serving, along with 2 grams of protein and 10 vitamins and minerals.
#32. Honey Graham Squares
- Per 100 grams: 398 cal, 32.7 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.082 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Malt-O-Meal's Honey Graham Squares are known for their honey-baked graham cracker taste with a hint of molasses. If that sounds sweet, it's for a reason: each serving contains 11 grams of sugar and a range of sweeteners. However, the morsels are made with whole grain, and contain B-vitamins, zinc, and magnesium.
#31. Cinnamon Toasters
- Per 100 grams: 425 cal, 32.86 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.077 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Although Malt-O-Meal's Cinnamon Toasters is supposed to resemble Cinnamon Toast Crunch, it has almost two more grams of sugar than the original at 11 grams. Even still, Cinnamon Toasters is made with no high fructose corn syrup and have zero trans fat. Instead, the cereal provides 10 grams of whole grains per serving and is a source of vitamins A, C, and D.
#30. Raisin Bran Cereal
- Per 100 grams: 324 cal, 32.9 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.102 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
With 19 grams in each bowl, one cup of Post's Raisin Bran Cereal will put you close to your recommended daily sugar intake all in one sitting. The high sugar content is likely due to the presence of raisins, which already have naturally-occurring sugar. However, breakfast eaters looking to boost their fiber intake should take notice of the product, which provides 32% of the recommended daily value in each serving.
#29. Raisin Bran Cereal
- Per 100 grams: 342 cal, 33.04 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.097 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Malt-O-Meal's Raisin Bran Cereal has 24 grams of sugar per serving, which is the maximum amount of sugar recommended for the average women's diet each day. In addition to raisins, this cereal gets its sweetness from sugar, corn syrup, and molasses. This variety of raisin bran also contains BHT, a controversial additive that some studies have found to be carcinogenic.
#28. Cap'n Crunch's Peanut Butter Crunch
- Per 100 grams: 417 cal, 33.36 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.08 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Cap'n Crunch's Peanut Butter Crunch is still recovering from a hit to its reputation in November when Quaker issued a voluntary recall of certain boxes due to potential exposure to salmonella. However, the rich peanut butter cereal is still a fan favorite and is lower in sugar than some alternatives, with just 9 grams of sugar per serving. Plus, a bowlful will get you seven vitamins and minerals without any trans fat.
#27. Fruity Pebbles
- Per 100 grams: 402 cal, 34.28 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.085 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Although for many, Post's Fruity Pebbles is reminiscent of The Flintstones and childhood memories, it might be best to keep this one in the past. The sugary cereal—with its rainbow of artificial colors—has just one gram of protein per serving, no dietary fiber, and 23 grams of carbohydrates. While the primary ingredient is rice, the second ingredient is sugar, which is followed by hydrogenated vegetable oil.
#26. Waffle Crisp
- Per 100 grams: 390 cal, 34.7 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.089 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
The 1990s-era Waffle Crisp is hard to track down in stores, but for its cult following, a bowl is well worth it. The multigrain cereal shaped like miniature waffles might have no high fructose corn syrup or artificial coloring, but it does have 12 grams of sugar per each serving of one cup. Waffle Crisp is also low in saturated fat and has zero cholesterol, as well as 10 different vitamins and minerals.
#25. Blueberry Muffin Tops Cereal
- Per 100 grams: 443 cal, 35.36 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.08 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Malt-O-Meal's Blueberry Muffin Tops Cereal was introduced in 2004 as having a "fresh-baked blueberry muffin flavor in every bite." Its box dubs the cereal as a good source of calcium made with whole wheat and real blueberries, albeit with some natural and artificial flavors. A serving size of the breakfast treat is 3/4 of a cup and contains 10 grams of sugar and 24 grams of total carbohydrates.
#24. Cocoa Pebbles
- Per 100 grams: 397 cal, 35.8 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.090 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Although Cocoa Pebbles are a classic favorite across generations, it should be considered more of a treat than a breakfast option. The cereal is 37% sugar and just 10% fiber, offering little nutritional value. In a Yale University study of 277 varieties of cereal, Cocoa Pebbles ranked in the top 10 cereals researchers recommended that customers avoid.
#23. Honey Buzzers
- Per 100 grams: 379 cal, 37.93 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.1 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
While Malt-O-Meal's Honey Buzzers may resemble the more famous Honeycomb Cereal, it actually contains more sugar per serving: 11 grams compared to Honeycomb's 10 grams. Both Sugar and honey are primary ingredients, and while Honey Buzzers is made with whole grain oat flour, its first ingredient is corn flour. However, the cereal is made with real honey and contains vitamins A, D, B1, and B2, and has no trans fat or cholesterol.
#22. Frosted Flakes
- Per 100 grams: 389 cal, 39.27 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.101 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
A serving of Malt-O-Meal's version of Frosted Flakes technically contains less sugar than Kellogg's original: 12 grams compared to 15 grams. However, Malt-O-Meal's serving size is only 3/4 cup, while Kellogg's is a whole cup. Kellogg's version also has more dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C.
#21. Marshmallow Mateys
- Per 100 grams: 387 cal, 40.91 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.106 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Marshmallow Mateys have 13 grams of sugar per serving. While it may seem like most of the sugar is concentrated in the brightly colored marshmallows, sugar is also lurking in the puffed rice cereal pieces. Perhaps in an attempt to counteract the sugar overload, Marshmallow Mateys also contains 12 vitamins and minerals, including iron and zinc.
#20. Berry Colossal Crunch
- Per 100 grams: 396 cal, 41.66 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.105 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Malt-O-Meal's Berry Colossal Crunch cereal is more of a treat than a breakfast meal, since more than 50% of the cereal's weight is sugar. Each serving of Berry Colossal Crunch has 17 grams of sugar, and a serving is only 3/4 of a cup. Some of the cereal's primary ingredients include sugar, corn syrup, and dextrose.
#19. Colossal Crunch
- Per 100 grams: 401 cal, 42.5 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.106 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
A bowl of Malt-O-Meal's Colossal Crunch contains 13 grams of sugar and 26 grams of total carbohydrates, with sugar and brown sugar syrup as the second and third ingredients. However, Colossal Crunch is also packed with iron and folic acid, in addition to nine other vitamins and minerals. The cereal's packaging also boasts the fact that it has no high fructose corn syrup.
#18. Fruity Dyno-Bites
- Per 100 grams: 404 cal, 42.6 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.105 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Although Fruity Dyno-Bites are supposed to resemble Fruity Pebbles, they're even more sugary. The Malt-O-Meal version has 11 grams of sugar, while the classic cereal has just 9 grams. In other ways, the two cereals are similar: both contain no cholesterol, 20 grams of potassium, and one gram of protein.
#17. Mother's Cocoa Bumpers
- Per 100 grams: 382 cal, 43.12 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.113 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Mother's Cocoa Bumpers may look like a healthy alternative to Cocoa Puffs for many, since Quaker advertises the product as being sweetened with honey and molasses instead of sugar. The cereal is also made with 100% natural cocoa and is low in fat. However, each one-cup serving contains 14 grams of sugar.
#16. Cocoa Dyno-Bites
- Per 100 grams: 397 cal, 43.15 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.109 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Cocoa Dyno-Bites from Malt-O-Meal contain 14 grams of sugar per serving, with sugar being its second ingredient. The brand does maintain that its Dyno-Bites are made with real chocolate, have no high fructose corn syrup, and are gluten free. Plus, a bowlful includes 10 vitamins and minerals.
#15. Honey Graham Oh!s
- Per 100 grams: 412 cal, 43.23 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.105 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
In a study of 298 cereals, Quaker's Honey Graham Oh!s had one of the highest sugar contents, with 0.44 grams of sugar per gram of cereal. It was also ranked as the ninth-unhealthiest cereal based on 19 different criteria. Among the sweeter ingredients in Honey Graham Oh!s are sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and honey.
#14. Sweet Crunch/Quisp
- Per 100 grams: 406 cal, 43.36 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.107 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Quaker's Quisp, a cereal with saucer-shaped morsels, landed earthside in 1965. The crunchy corn cereal is low fat and contains no cholesterol, yet has seven vitamins— including iron, zinc, and 100% of the daily recommended value of folic acid. But each one-cup serving size of Quisp contains 12 grams of sugar, which is a significant portion of the recommended daily intake.
#13. Cap'N Crunch's Halloween Crunch
- Per 100 grams: 402 cal, 43.82 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.109 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Cap'N Crunch's Halloween Crunch captivated kids with the cereal's ability to turn a bowl full of milk green. The limited edition product's sweeteners include sugar, brown sugar, and strawberry juice concentrate, producing a total of 11 grams of sugar per each 3/4 cup serving. Halloween Crunch's less-scary side is that it contained 100% of the recommended daily value of folic acid, as well as thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin B6.
#12. Cap'N Crunch's Oops! All Berries Cereal
- Per 100 grams: 395 cal, 44.18 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.112 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Cap'N Crunch itself has been found to be one of the most unhealthy breakfast cereals on the market, and the Oops! All Berries Cereal is no exception. Each serving of the berry cereal variety contains 14 grams of sugar, and little nutritional value: only one gram of protein and no vitamin A, vitamin C, or calcium.
#11. Cap'N Crunch With Crunchberries
- Per 100 grams: 397 cal, 44.2 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.111 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Another variety of Cap'N Crunch—this time with "crunchberries" that turn blue when they interact with milk—has 11 grams of sugar per serving. A bowlful of the cereal contains 110 calories and 22 grams of carbohydrates, half of which are derived from sugar.
#10. Christmas Crunch
- Per 100 grams: 397 cal, 44.31 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.112 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Cap'N Crunch's Christmas Crunch was first introduced in 1988 and has remained popular since then, accounting between 13% and 18% of the brand's annual sales. Each serving size of 26 grams—which is approximately a third of a cup—contains 11 grams of sugar, and people will inevitably eat more if they're looking for a bowlful. The sweeteners used in the cereal include sugar, brown sugar, and strawberry juice concentrate.
#9. Cap'N Crunch
- Per 100 grams: 398 cal, 44.32 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.111 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Some have suggested that criticism from health professionals as well as former First Lady Michelle Obama have caused Cap'N Crunch's infamous pirate mascot to retreat from public view, but the cereal can still be found on grocery store shelves. One serving of the cereal contains 12 grams of sugar and 110 calories, half of which are derived from its sweeteners.
#8. Mother's Graham Bumpers
- Per 100 grams: 379 cal, 44.33 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.117 grams / cal
- Brand: Quaker
Consumers might view Mother's Graham Bumpers as a healthy breakfast choice since the brand promotes itself as being all-natural and free of high fructose corn syrup. However, Mother's Graham Bumpers contains a staggering 18 grams of sugar per serving, making it more of a dessert than a breakfast choice.
#7. Apple Zings
- Per 100 grams: 390 cal, 44.61 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.114 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
A bowl of Malt-O-Meal's Apple Zings has 13 grams of sugar and includes several sweetening ingredients like corn syrup solids, sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, and apple juice concentrate. Overall, Apple Zings contains 78% more sugar than the average breakfast cereal, and in addition, has artificial colors, contains the controversial food additive BHT, and contains the nonspecific ingredient of "flavor." While the cereal is a source of iron, it offers little other nutritional value, with only one gram of protein and few other vitamins and minerals.
#6. Tootie Fruities
- Per 100 grams: 391 cal, 45.31 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.116 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Malt-O-Meal's Tootie Fruities contains an alarming 92% more sugar per serving than the average cereal on the market, making it one to steer clear of for breakfast. Each serving size of one cup has 14 grams of sugar, and some of the cereal's primary ingredients include sugar, corn syrup, and dextrose. Malt-O-Meal also sells a variety of Tootie Fruities with marshmallows, which contain additional sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, and artificial flavors.
#5. Corn Bursts
- Per 100 grams: 385 cal, 46.88 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.122 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Malt-O-Meal's Corn Bursts is a crunchy, oven-toasted corn puff cereal that contains no high fructose corn syrup but plenty of sugar. Each serving size contains 15 grams of sugar, with sugar and molasses being a few of its primary ingredients. While the cereal does have 11 vitamins and minerals and contains no trans fat or cholesterol, it only has one gram of protein—meaning it won't make consumers feel full for long.
#4. Coco-Roos
- Per 100 grams: 389 cal, 48.11 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.124 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
The Coco-Roos cereal from Malt-O-Meal will provide you with 11 grams of sugar per each 3/4 cup serving (via both sugar and corn syrup), in addition to less than one gram of protein. Overall, Coco-Roos has 51% more sugar than the average breakfast cereal, and also have artificial flavors and colors.
#3. Golden Puffs
- Per 100 grams: 370 cal, 51.34 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.139 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
The first ingredient in Malt-O-Meal's caramel-flavored Golden Puffs isn't even wheat, corn, or rice: it's sugar. And that's not the only sweetener, either: A bowl of Golden Puffs also contains honey and corn syrup. Just one bowl has 16 grams of sugar and few other vitamins or minerals to try and make up for the sure-to-come sugar high after breakfast.
#2. Golden Crisp
- Per 100 grams: 380 cal, 53.6 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.141 grams / cal
- Brand: Post
Post's Golden Crisp was originally called Sugar Crisp, which isn't surprising considering just one bowl of the cereal has 18 grams of sugar. Plus, two of the cereal's first three ingredients are sugar and corn syrup, which doesn't sound as "wholesome" as the cereal box would have you believe. Its high sugar content lands Golden Crisp high on the list of the most unhealthiest cereals on grocery store shelves.
#1. Chocolate Marshmallow Mateys
- Per 100 grams: 392 cal, 55.45 grams of sugar
- Sugar / calorie: 0.141 grams / cal
- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
With 18 grams of sugar per serving of one cup, Malt-O-Meal's Chocolate Marshmallow Mateys contains 147% more sugar than the average cereal on the market. The very first ingredient in the cereal is sugar, but that's not the only sweetener: Chocolate Marshmallow Mateys is also made with corn syrup and dextrose.
